2001

The Voice: Winter 2001

New courses offered to freshmen

Dordt offered two new courses this fall: ASK 050: Basic Mathematics for College Students
and ASK 060: Basic Writing for College Students. Based on several years of discussion among
faculty and Academic Skills (ASK) Center staff, the courses are designed to help students review
pre-college work, and one or both are required for all incoming students who do not meet the
college entrance requirements for mathematics or writing. Students are given the opportunity to
test out of the courses.

Students taking the English course must pass it before taking the general education
requirement, ENG 101: Grammar and Composition, and students in the math course must pass
it before enrolling in any other mathematics-based course. Although the courses count toward
determining full-time status, financial aid, and a student's GPA, they will not count toward
graduation credit.

This past semester, the ASK Center offered two sections of English writing of twelve
students each, and one mathematics class of twenty-four students. One section of each class will
be taught next semester.

The ASK courses are being taught by two adjuncts. Rather than require a master's degree,
which is generally a minimum prerequisite for Dordt faculty, Pam De Jong of the Academic
Skills (ASK) Center sought candidates who demonstrated excellent teaching ability. Dale Vander
Wilt, who is teaching the math course, is executive vice president of First National Bank in
Sioux Center but taught junior high and high school math for thirteen years. De Jong said of
Vander Wilt's teaching, I've heard students say, 'If I had had a teacher like this in high school, I
wouldn't have had to take this course.' Of course, De Jong hastened to add, some of these
students have had excellent instructors before, but they either didn't take the math courses
needed or didn't take their learning seriously at the time.

She is also pleased with the work of Audrey Den Boer, who is teaching the writing
course. We needed someone who could empathize with a student who struggles, said De Jong.
Audrey's background in teaching English as a Second Language helps her do that.

De Jong explained, The purpose of these classes is not to allow Dordt to accept more
poorly-prepared students; instead, we want the classes to help at-risk students who have been
accepted to succeed in college. Dordt has always accepted some students on probation or with
conditional admission; now they use the term admission with special provisions.

De Jong was pleased with how things went this semester. It's been a good first semester
overall. Parents were very grateful we had this class. And, for the most part, students have been
pleased too. Dordt has committed to a two-year pilot program for these courses, and De Jong
looks forward to studying the long-term benefits as the students continue their college careers.